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Treatment & Programs

There is no cure for diabetes. Treatment involves diet, exercise and medications to prolong life, control blood sugar, reduce symptoms and prevent diabetes-related complications such as blindness, heart disease, kidney failure and amputation of limbs.

Programs

Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare offers the following diabetes programs:

Diabetes Prevention Program

Our diabetes prevention program, "It's Not Diabetes … Yet," is an ideal program for those who have had impaired fasting glucose, glucose tolerance or hemoglobin A1c levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be called "diabetes." You may have also heard that you have "a touch of diabetes," "borderline diabetes" or blood sugar that is "a little high."

The program provides you with more awareness of modifiable risk factors and equips you with tactics to prevent or slow the onset of diabetes. You become a more active partner in the health of your own body!You’ll learn about diabetes prevention in a small group setting. Each week, the group is led by a registered dietitian, registered nurse educator or physical therapist. Participants support each other and reinforce the teaching and activities by sharing experiences and encouraging one other.

Program Topics

Our program features many steps to lead you down a path to a healthier weight. You will work with our pre-diabetes/diabetes prevention education team in a small group setting to learn how to:

Understand “prediabetes”

Reduce your risk for diabetes through lifestyle changes

Set reachable goals for personal health

Learn strategies for healthy eating, including smart shopping, menu planning, and dining out

Work movement into your everyday life

Track progress toward your goals

Identify resources and opportunities for continued success

Improve your quality of life!

How to Participate

To learn more about class locations and schedules, please contact Centralized Scheduling at 414-527-5000 in the greater Milwaukee area or 262-687-6345 in Racine.

Our scheduling representatives will also work with you to register for the sessions, as we do require preregistration. A physician referral is preferred as it may impact coverage by your health insurance plan. Since coverage varies, please check with your insurance company before you begin the registration process.

If co-pays are required, Flexible Spending Account dollars may help–call your Flexible Spending Account provider to see if this is an eligible expense.

If you do not have a physician order to participate, we do offer reasonable costs for self-pay patients, which will be discussed during your registration process.

Diabetes Management Program

The Wheaton Franciscan Diabetes Management Program is designed to foster effective diabetes management by providing participants with tools, support and encouragement to understand and control this lifelong condition.

Our goal is to help those with diabetes regain or maintain control through effective self-management strategies while building in flexibility that affords greater independence.

Program Features

Our program is designed specifically for individuals with diabetes or those who are considered to have “prediabetes.”

It’s effective for both those who are newly diagnosed or who have had long-term diabetes.

Our program was created to help manage diabetes to achieve the highest level of independence, fulfillment, and quality of life.

Our team is staffed with nurses and dietitian diabetes educators who are experts in treating, teaching, and caring for individuals with diabetes. Physicians are engaged throughout their patients’ participation in the program.

Program Topics

Diabetes disease process

Nutrition (including carbohydrate counting)

Home glucose monitoring

Physical activity

Medications

Risk reduction

Coping skills and strategies

Problem solving

Program Participant Information

Our program is open to those who have:

Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes

Prediabetes conditions

Gestational diabetes/Type 1 or Type 2

Diabetes with pregnancy

Note: Family members of those with diabetes are also encouraged to participate.

﻿Gestational Diabetes Management Program

Learning how to live with gestational diabetes is important not only for your health but the health of your baby. Let the experienced professionals with Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare be a partner to you and your physician in helping you manage this condition.

Our outpatient self-management education program is nationally recognized by the American Diabetes Association and is affiliated with the International Diabetes Center. Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare diabetes educators are licensed health care professionals (registered nurses and registered dietitians) who specialize in educating people with diabetes

Services Offered

Education and discussion in a group setting, covering gestational diabetes self-management topics. The education method is designed with adults in mind.

Individually tailored profile, including assessment, plan of care, and recommendations designed by you and our health team.

Program Participation Information

This program is open to those who have gestational diabetes/Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes with pregnancy. Note: Family members or a support person of those with diabetes are also encouraged to participate.

Teens with gestational diabetes are seen on an individual, one-on-one basis rather than being enrolled in this program.

Physician order or referral is required.

Services provided on an outpatient basis, by appointment only.

Gestational diabetes management program is covered by most insurance plans. Please check with your insurance provider.